Health, emergencies and insurance
Emergencies and security
112 is the European emergency number, which you can call free of charge. This number connects you directly to the emergency services, such as the police, ambulance service and the fire department.
The principal security forces in the Basque Country are the Ertzaintza (the Basque Police) and the Udaltzaingoa (the municipal police). Both have stations or headquarters which you can go to if you need to report a robbery, theft or assault, etc., or if you lose something and want to know if someone has handed it in.
Health system
The healthcare system in the Basque Country and Spain is primarily public and is funded by taxes. In the Basque Country, the public health service is called Osakidetza. Osakidetza manages hospitals and health centres, offering general and specialised medical care and emergency services, and running preventative programmes that are generally free of charge or operate under a co-payment system in which the cost for citizens is very low.
There is also a private health insurance sector that complements public healthcare or allows faster access to specialists and treatments. Private insurers require monthly payments (premiums) and offer different types of coverage depending on the policy taken out.
European citizens with a European Health Insurance Card can access the services provided by the Basque public health service, Osakidetza. It is important to find out which health centre you should go to (it will depend on your address). If you have a chronic illness or will be straying for a prolonged period, you may need to complete some additional procedures in order to be assigned to a specific healthcare professional.
Insurance
If you have private health insurance, you should make sure you know what steps to take if you have a health issue. You should also find out which medical centres are covered by your policy.
If you are a student or visiting researcher, the EHU has an insurance policy available, called the IBILI insurance policy, that covers medical assistance, assistance in the event of an accident and repatriation. The insurance policy is competitively priced and can be taken out online.
To find out more about the insurance cover required to study at the EHU, select your category: